Best of
Historical-Romance

2003

The Whispering Night


Kathryn Le Veque - 2003
    Under the command of William Marshall, Chancellor of England, Garren is the king's most trusted and loyal servant. When Garren is ordered to marry into a family deeply loyal to Prince John, the knight is understandably reluctant; the House of de Rosa is infamous for its bloodlust and bizarre characters. Upon meeting the Lady Derica de Rosa, however, Garren thinks perhaps that the marriage may not be all that unpalatable. Derica is beautiful and humorous, and Garren is smitten. Upon the eve of the betrothal, however, Garren's identity as a spy is discovered and he is set upon by the de Rosa's. With Derica's help, he escapes execution and together the two of them begin an enormous trek across England and Wales to flee her pursuing family. When William Marshall discovers that Garren has deviated from his orders, he too goes in pursuit of him, undermining Garren's trust with a friend he has known since childhood. Duty soon separates them and Garren stages his own death in battle in order to free himself of William Marshall's directives. But news of his death gets back to Derica, who finds herself a pawn between her family and William Marshall as she grieves for the man she loved and now has lost. It is a race against time for Garren to return to his wife before she is forced to marry another, all in the name of politics.

The Wren


Kristy McCaffrey - 2003
    Now, at nineteen, she’s finally returning home to North Texas after spending the remainder of her childhood with a tribe of Kwahadi Comanche. What she finds is a deserted home coated with dust and the passage of time, the chilling discovery of her own gravesite, and the presence of a man she thought never to see again.Matt Ryan is pushed by a restless wind to the broken-down remains of the Hart ranch. Recently recovered from an imprisonment that nearly ended his life, the drive for truth and fairness has all but abandoned him. For ten years he faithfully served the U.S. Army and the Texas Rangers, seeking justice for the brutal murder of a little girl, only to find closure and healing beyond his grasp. Returning to the place where it all began, he’s stunned to encounter a woman with the same blue eyes as the child he can’t put out of his mind.A sensuous historical western romance set in 1877 Texas.2003 CAPA WINNER The Romance Studio ~ Best New Author Traditional2004 Holt Medallion FINALIST ~ Best First Book2004 Texas Gold FINALIST ~ Historical Category“…McCaffrey’s mastery of setting and historic details gives this western gritty realism.” ~ RT Book Reviews“…a heart wrenchingly emotional story…” ~ Coffeetime Romance“The main characters were well matched and the secondary characters were just as good. Don’t miss this incredible read in what is sure to be a great series to follow.” ~ The Romance Studio“Handsome, rugged heroes, strong heroines and a super storyline make The Wren a keeper.” ~ The Best Reviews“…well written…captivated me from the first line to the poignant last.” ~ NovelspotDon’t miss all the books in the series~The Wren: Book 1The Dove: Book 2The Sparrow: Book 3The Blackbird: Book 4The Shiny Penny: Short Story 4.1 (available free exclusively to Kristy’s newsletter subscribers)Song Of The Wren: Novella 4.2 (available free exclusively to Kristy’s newsletter subscribers)The Bluebird: Book 5Echo of the Plains: Novella 5.5

A Carriage For The Midwife


Maggie Bennett - 2003
    The youngest son of a landowner offers her marriage but his brother seduces her little sister and then betrays her in the most brutal of ways. Susan faces losing everything.

Borrowed Dreams


May McGoldrick - 2003
    Her only hope is a marriage—in name only—to the notorious widower the Earl of Aytoun. THE GROOM Devastated by the tragic accident that killed his wife and left him gravely wounded, Lyon Pennington, fourth Earl of Aytoun, is tormented by the accusations that blame him for the catastrophe. Filled with despair, he lets his mother lure him into a marriage of convenience—for the sake of a good-hearted woman on the verge of financial ruin.THE DESIREUnder Millicent’s gentle gaze, Lyon begins to regain his strength and his wounded heart begins to heal. And soon Millicent discovers that beneath his unruly beard and grim demeanor, Lyon just may be the most handsome—and caring—man she’s ever encountered. For the first time in her life, she realizes that she is alive—alive with a smoldering desire for the one man she’ll love forever…

Barely a Bride


Rebecca Hagan Lee - 2003
    But when he is suddenly called off to war, he has no choice but to obey his father’s wishes and find a wife… Just days later, he marries the lovely Lady Alyssa. For a man committed only to his freedom, she seems a perfect—and perfectly undemanding—bride. Intelligent and self-sufficient, Alyssa craves her independence just as much as Griffin loves his. But as the irresistible attraction between them flourishes with every look and touch, they discover there is something they desire even more than a loveless marriage of convenience—the passion they find in each other’s arms…

Seduced by a Prince


Tanya Anne Crosby - 2003
    Now living his brother's aristocratic life, he has new trials, tribulations... and temptations, not the least being Chloe Simon, a woman of rare mettle, proud heart, and unprecedented beauty. But she’s no easy mark for a perceived highwayman.Chloe Simon knew Lord Lindale was definitely not himself. After encountering the masked highwayman Hawk left for dead, he seemed... somehow different. Maybe more approachable? Infinitely more... desirable. Entirely too irresistible. In a stolen moment of startling intimacy, he makes her feel like titled nobility. But she was only ever a doctor's daughter, with every reason to steer clear of his very kissable lips. Read The Impostors Series In Order: Book 1: Seduced by a Prince Book 2: A Crown for a Lady

Wings of the Morning


Beryl Matthews - 2003
    Her brothers join up, her sweetheart Paul becomes a fighter pilot, and Annie, desperate to help, finds herself in the WAAF, where her intelligence and warmth singles her out for a role more daring than she can ever have known. All the time, the Battle of Britain is raging in the skies above her. The country has never needed its young people more, but will Annie and her loved ones survive its darkest hour?

Yankee Earl


Shirl Henke - 2003
    The devious Marquess of Cargrave does, and he blackmails his American grandson into becoming his heir. Jason Beaumont, former Yankee privateer, finds himself the new Earl of Falconridge and on the verge of being leg shackled. He is not happy. AN ENGLISH HEIRESS The Honorable Rachael Fairchild, daughter to Cargrave's oldest friend, Viscount Harleigh, is threatened by her father with even more odious marriage choices if she does not wed the man the Ton has labeled "the Yankee earl." But Jason is a toad stool, nothing more than a jumped up pirate. She is not happy. A DEVIL'S BARGAIN The two first collide, quite literally, while somebody is shooting at Jason. In spite of the danger, he and Rachel strike sparks from each other in a battle of wits. Rachel devises a plan that will enable Jason is to escape England, thus freeing them both from a fate worse than death--marriage...to each other! If only the Yankee clodpole weren't so damnably witty and handsome. Jason quickly sees that his sharp-tongued "Countess" is right. They must work together to avoid leg-shackling...if only she weren't so damnably bright and beautiful. As the squabbling pair matches wits with the manipulative old marquess, mysterious assassins and kidnappers menace them. Rachel begins to wonder if marrying the wild Yankee would be so terrible after all. Jason slowly realizes that only a fool would not claim the willful "Countess" as his own, and the Yankee earl is nobody's fool.

The Further Observations of Lady Whistledown


Julia Quinn - 2003
    but its former occupant as well!Contains:One True Love by Suzanne EnochTwo Hearts by Karen KawkinsA Dozen Kisses by Mia RyanThirty-six Valentines by Julia Quinn*All Lady Whistledown columns written by Julia Quinn

Sixpenny Girl


Meg Hutchinson - 2003
    When Enoch drowns, Saran swears that she will not rest until she has secured her family's release, but--penniless and friendless--she barely knows where to start. However, when fate casts young Luke Hipton into her path, Saran finds a loyal companion. Together they make their way to Wednesbury, where Saran's courage and virtue bring their own rewards.

The Captain of All Pleasures


Kresley Cole - 2003
    His sizzling kisses leave her longing, but after they share a night of passion, his subsequent disdain makes her blood boil. Nicole vows to take her revenge—by helping her father beat Sutherland in a high-stakes competition: the Great Circle Race from England to Australia.Nicole's scheme is thrown overboard after her father is wrongly imprisoned, yet she remains undaunted—taking to the high seas with her father's ship. But a storm wrecks her plans, and she finds herself a virtual prisoner aboard Sutherland's vessel. And while her mind tells her she should escape, her body urges her to surrender.

Racing Moon


Cassie Edwards - 2003
    There, she spies a man in the woods-a proud and noble Chitimacha chief. He is called Racing Moon, and Maureen longs to capture his beauty on canvas. But when the chief returns her admiration, their newfound passion ignites the rage of Maureen's employer...Racing Moon's bitterest enemy.

Painted Highway


Audrey Howard - 2003
    Betsy, delicate, calculating and sensuously beautiful, wants only to become a 'lady' - and will use the most unladylike means to become one.When Dr Tom Hartley enters the sisters' lives after a tragic accident both are attracted to him - but for very different reasons...

The Awakening / Zuleika and the Barbarian


Bertrice Small - 2003
     Originally published in 2002 as part of the collection Delighted. Zuleika and the Barbarian Princess Zuleika of Dariyabar has no intention of marrying her ruthless cousin, even if she has to give herself to the enemy, the barbarian Amir Khan, to be free of him. Amir Khan is both intrigued and amused by Zuleika and with each night of seduction and surrender, the barbarian finds himself succumbing to love's decisive victory... Originally published in 2003 as part of the collection I Love Rogues.

Hunter's Moon


Bobbi Smith - 2003
    There, three brothers and a sister fought to hold their family together, struggled to keep their ranch solvent, while they awaited the return of the one person who could shed light on the secrets of the past.BrentWith his father about to come home after ten years in prison, the last thing Brent Hunter needed was woman trouble. And beautiful Crystal Stewart was trouble with a capital T. What else could you call a hellion who had to be rescued from one scrape after another, even carried out of a rowdy saloon? But an incredible night of wild loving convinced the man who always did right that sometimes a little wrongdoing added a whole lot of spice to life.

Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree


Margaret Thornton - 2003
    Although the War means uncertainty and anxiety for some, Eunice Morton is grateful for the opportunities it provides her with. She volunteers for the Women's Land Army and is sent to help on a farm in Gloucestershire. Milking the cows and working in the fields are a far cry from the domestic routine that she is used to, but Eunice enjoys her work and her newfound independence. Meanwhile, her relationship with her childhood friend Ronnie looks set to turn into something more romantic, but Eunice still isn't sure that Ronnie is the one for her. Then she befriends Heinrich Muller, a German POW sent to work on the farm, and an elicit moment of passion changes her life forever...

Mrs. Drew Plays Her Hand And Miss Grimsley's Oxford Career


Carla Kelly - 2003
    Drew draws the attention of many men, both wanted and unwanted and Miss Grimsley tries to pass herself off as her own brother...in two classic novels from "a powerful and wonderfully perceptive author" (Mary Jo Putney)

Forever Autumn


Bobbi Smith - 2003
    Deciding to learn more about her patriarchal roots and to see what was bequeathed to her, she and her fiancé journey to Sagebrush, Texas.Sheriff Cord Randolph's quest is catch the Martin gang who killed his best friend. He feels euphoric when he arrests a gang member Grace Thomas, as he feels he is finally on his way to achieving his life ambition. However, his gorgeous prisoner insists her name is Autumn not Grace. Cord and Autumn soon conclude that not only did she not know her father was alive all these years, but that she has a twin sister. As Cord and Autumn fall in love, she does everything she knows to keep her sibling out of jail while he attempts to ignore his heart so he can lock the outlaw sibling up.

The Pretender


Celeste Bradley - 2003
    Now, she brings us The Lover, the first book in the wildly fun, exciting, and sexy new Liar's Club series both featuring irresistible heroes who are out to steal their leading ladies hearts!She had a secret she'd do anything to hide. Agatha Cunnington, a headstrong beauty from the country, has come to London in search of her missing brother James. The only clue she has is a cryptic letter signed The Griffin. Agatha decides to disguise herself as a respectable married woman so that she can go about the city unnoticed. But for her charade to work she needs a suitable "husband," preferably someone tall, elegant, and rakish-someone like Simon Montague Rain.He had a secret he'd do anything to hide.Simon Montague Rain, also known as The Magician, is a member of The Liar's Club, a renegade group of rogues and thieves in the service of the Crown. When someone begins murdering members of the undercover cabal one by one, Simon is given the mission to bring in The Griffin, one of his comrades who is suspected of betraying his brothers. Simon goes undercover and infiltrates the home of "Mrs." Agatha Applequist who he believes is the Griffin's mistress. Before Simon knows what's happened, he finds himself irresistibly drawn to Agatha's soft, feminine charms-and he is tempted beyond reason to break the first rule of The Liar's Club: never fall in love.

To Charm a Prince (Douglas Trilogy, #2)


Patricia Grasso - 2003
    When a shy, young innocent is swept off her feet by a dashing prince, both their lives are forever changed as they embark on an adventure that proves fairy tales do come true.

The Wild Irish West


Joan Avery - 2003
    But nothing could stop the feisty and furious Irish heiress from seeking the groom who'd deserted her-not even the dirty cowboy to whom she found herself handcuffed in the wilds of South Dakota. THE OUTLAW Bent on revenge himself, Sage Duross was less than thrilled with the redheaded hellion on his arm. While she was clearly not the dangerous bank robber the sheriff claimed, she couldn't have been more trouble if she were a felon. Her unfair fighting tactics left him breathless, and her nearness clouded his brain with desire. THE WICKED TRUCE Kathleen and Sage had no choice but to work together. But as their wills continually clashed, they bumped more than heads. For being attached at the hip led to a number of compromising positions - positions that proved they could do far more than rub each other the wrong way. And they both realized their quest for vengeance had yielded love, the one tie that truly bound them.

Yesterday's Enemies (Five Star Expressions)


Erika M. Feiner - 2003
    It's the last days of World War II and the Americans are advancing to the Rhine and on into Germany itself. Andrew Morrell, son of a Texas rancher, marches into a small German village, rifle in hand, ready to shoot to kill. Instead he falls in love with young, beautiful Lisa.